20 Essential Grilling Accessories

Boost your grilling experience with these products

20 Essential Grilling Accessories

Cuisinart Simply Grilling Non-stick Hamburger Basket

Food that sticks to the grill can induce anxiety in the novice cook. Take an insurance policy with the Cuisinart non-stick burger basket. Not only will it keep you from attacking your grill with a spatula, but it’s perfect for making sliders. A single flip of the device provides evenly cooked baby burgers by the dozen. $20, cuisinart.com

The Smoking Gun

Electric grills are convenient, but they don’t provide the smokiness that is a hallmark of good barbecue. Try a shortcut with The Smoking Gun. A single zap of cold smoke adds wood flavors to meat, veggies and even beverages. $99.95, cuisinetechnology.com

Bear Paws Meat Handlers

Pull pork and transfer large cuts of meat with these heat-resistant Bear Paws—and then use them to threaten anyone who criticizes your cooking. $9.95, bbqproshop.com

White Binchotan Charcoal

Binchotan Japanese charcoal promises heat that’s chemical-free, nearly smoke free, hotter burning than the bag of briquettes you’ll find at the local hardware store. It’s a tempting offer, but only if your pockets are deep. $149, korin.com

Grill Friends Cedar Smoking Sheets

Perfect for the pescetarian in your dinner party, these cedar smoking sheets add great flavor to fish. Just soak one in water, envelop a fillet, and tie it with butcher’s twine before tossing on the grill. $13, smokenfire.com

Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter

Charcoal grill owners, put down the lighter fluid and get your barbecue going quickly with Weber’s chimney starter. Just stuff the cylinder with old newspaper, add briquettes and set it ablaze. Your coals will be red-hot and ready in minutes. $18, weber.com

OXO Grilling Silicone Basting Brush

Ordinary sauce brushes are hard to maintain and wear away over time. Opt for this sleek stainless steel OXO silicone basting brush instead — its soft bristles wipe clean with warm water and stay odor-free, even after a dip in the strongest of marinades. $15, oxo.com

Mr. Bar-B-Q EX Legs and Wings Rack

Never burn chicken wings and legs again with the Mr. Bar-B-Q EZ rack. Pieces hang like sleeping bats for even cooking, leaving you no need to babysit and flip pieces on the grill grate. $15, chefscatalog.com

Thermapen

Unless you like steaks black and blue, it’s important to monitor the temperature of your meat. The slim and easy-to-use Thermapen delivers accurate readings within three seconds. $89, thermoworks.com

Pabst Blue Ribbon

Vertical chicken stands fall squarely into the category of needless kitchen gadgets. Cook whole chickens the manly, old-fashion way: pop open a can of PBR, chug it until half-empty (or maybe you see it as half-full), and shove it into a de-gutted chicken carcass. Name one other grilling accessory that’s cheap, disposable and thirst quenching all at once. $4/six pack, pabstblueribbon.com

Sur La Table Triple LED Grill Light

Knuckle Sandwich Guy Fieri The Beast Meat Cleaver

Whatever your opinion of celebrity chef Guy Fieri, his Beast meat cleaver is undeniably fitting for his hot-rod, dude-food schtick. Use its German carbon steel blade to hack through whole chickens and chop up ribs. $64, amazon.com

Steven Raichlen Best of Barbecue Marinade Spray Bottle

Charcoal Companion Nonstick Pizza Grill Pan

Grilling isn’t just for meat. The Charcoal Companion pizza pan lets you bake pies over the fire. Bottom holes allow smoke flavor to come through and keep the crust from getting soggy, while the removable handle lets you close the grill lid and cook your pie until the cheese is melted. $13.95, cutleryandmore.com

For the countless spatulas on the market, Steven Raichlen’s version has the best combination of bells and whistles: an extra wide head, a sharp blade so that it slides neatly under burgers, perforations to prevent food from getting soggy, and even a bottle opener on the end. $19.99, grilling4all.com

Grand Grill Daddy

Good food starts with a clean grill. The Grand Grill Daddy looks like an expensive investment, but its steam cleaning power will save time and spare you the frustration of trying to scrub stubborn crud off the grill after your meal. $59.99, williams-sonoma.com

Cuisinart 10-Piece Premium Grilling Set

If poring over the kitchen tool section of a home store is not your idea of a good time, save yourself the trouble and pick up Cuisinart’s 10 Piece Premium Grilling Set. A spatula, tongs, grill fork, four skewers and a grill brush with replacement heads are all packed into a neat carrying case for easy storage and traveling. $79.99, cuisinart.com